1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for influencing a shift process connected with a change in transmission ratio when driving a motor vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known to control automatic transmissions so that up-shifting into a higher gear is prevented when traveling around a curve. The purpose is that a driver who, for example, lets upon on the accelerator immediately before a curve or in a curve and depresses the accelerator again after leaving the curve will have the same amount of torque available after the curve as when entering the curve. It is thus intended that a driver who for example lets up on the accelerator immediately before a curve or in a curve, after travelling past the curve when pushing down on the accelerator again has the same power and performance as when driving into the curve. During normal shift programs, letting up on the accelerator would lead to the transmission shifting into a higher gear and on leaving the curve there would be insufficient acceleration power or the transmissions would only shift back to a lower bear before renewed acceleration.
It is known from DE 196 18 804 to develop a method where shifts are suppressed in curves to the extent that in addition the type of driver is determined and the type of shift suppression is influenced.
In many cases, for example when travelling around very long curves or in the case of vehicles with manual shift transmissions it is neither desirable nor possible to fully suppress gear changes when travelling around curves. In these cases it is however desirable in order to let the shifting process take place in a manner that is adapted to the momentary conditions of a curved course of travel.
Accordingly the invention is concerned with the problem of providing a method for influencing a shift process connected to a change in transmission ratio when driving a motor vehicle which also leads when driving round curves to comfortable shifting which does not impair driving safety.